Vero Beach, FL 26º39.582N | 80º22.298W
Having moved around a lot in my life, I've never been one to take friends for granted. But now that we're cruising, always on the move, connections are even more meaningful, especially the serendipitous ones.
We barreled into Vero Beach on Thursday afternoon, dropped the dinghy and took off for shore. Chip was bound for the grocery store on the free shuttle while I tilted at four loads of laundry. Our plan was to set off again early Friday on our trek north leaving no real time to call our friends Ted and Lauren, sadly missing a chance to meet their new baby.
I had just folded the last towels and sat down to wait for Chip's bus when I looked up to see Ted walking in.
"I think you have one of my socks," he said.
"WHAT?!?!? TED!!!"
We know four people in Vero Beach, and two of them found Chip on the street waiting for the bus in front of Publix -- and they had the baby with them! Adorable.
Lauren was leaving town to visit her family Friday morning, so Ted told us to call if we decided to delay our departure.
Mother Nature gave us a good reason to delay, spewing out squalls all up the coast of Florida. Ted picked us up in a deluge, and we all slogged, dripping wet, into his favorite Italian restaurant, Avanzare.
We sat at the bar, and Chip started peppering the bartender with questions about the wine list.
"Let me get Roger," she said.
"I wonder why he looks so familiar," I thought to myself. Roger brought out a great bottle of Gigondas and asked Chip if he used to sell wine in the Outer Banks.
"Hold on, I've got a surprise."
A few minutes later, Roger came out of the kitchen with chef Chuck and his wife Kathleen, who used to own a great restaurant in the Outer Banks where Roger was the bartender. He used to serve us well when we sidled up to his bar after a long day at Chip's Wine & Beer Market. They've all relocated to Vero Beach, unbeknownst to us -- until now.
 |
| Vero Beach mooring field, cloudy and empty. |
We barreled into Vero Beach on Thursday afternoon, dropped the dinghy and took off for shore. Chip was bound for the grocery store on the free shuttle while I tilted at four loads of laundry. Our plan was to set off again early Friday on our trek north leaving no real time to call our friends Ted and Lauren, sadly missing a chance to meet their new baby.
I had just folded the last towels and sat down to wait for Chip's bus when I looked up to see Ted walking in.
"I think you have one of my socks," he said.
"WHAT?!?!? TED!!!"
We know four people in Vero Beach, and two of them found Chip on the street waiting for the bus in front of Publix -- and they had the baby with them! Adorable.
Lauren was leaving town to visit her family Friday morning, so Ted told us to call if we decided to delay our departure.
Mother Nature gave us a good reason to delay, spewing out squalls all up the coast of Florida. Ted picked us up in a deluge, and we all slogged, dripping wet, into his favorite Italian restaurant, Avanzare.
 |
| Ted and Chip laughing at our fortune. |
"Let me get Roger," she said.
"I wonder why he looks so familiar," I thought to myself. Roger brought out a great bottle of Gigondas and asked Chip if he used to sell wine in the Outer Banks.
"Hold on, I've got a surprise."
A few minutes later, Roger came out of the kitchen with chef Chuck and his wife Kathleen, who used to own a great restaurant in the Outer Banks where Roger was the bartender. He used to serve us well when we sidled up to his bar after a long day at Chip's Wine & Beer Market. They've all relocated to Vero Beach, unbeknownst to us -- until now.
 |
| Kathleen, Chuck, not sure who that guy is, me, Chip and Roger. |
DON'T FORGET: Today is the second day of RAFT-UP and time for Jane and Ean on S/V Joy to tell us what hobbies they pursue onboard.
What a small world, and what a great story!
ReplyDeleteIt's an awesome world! Thanks for stopping by to have a look at ours.
Delete